Words of Encouragement adds Sunshine to our day!

Every photo taken and every update written is done so with the adoptive parents in mind. What do they like to see about their child? What photos or videos would light up their day while they are waiting for their child to come home to them? How can we make their wait just a little bit easier for them?

I know families sometimes think they are all alone and we just don’t understand their deep desire to get their child home as quickly as possible. But we all want this same thing too! We fight with Haitian government offices for each child and their adoption. We love them knowing they are waiting for their mama and papa to hold them in THEIR arms instead of ours. We get angry and vent with each other when things are lost or just taking forever to get done!

So each word of encouragement is like a drop of sunshine in our day! Susie and I both received short messages that brought tears to our eyes and made our hearts a little lighter! I wanted to share them with you…

Dear Susie

I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for how much you put into the monthly updates. We have gotten 13 updates so far for D. I think I told you when we were there in May how natural it was to meet her. She was just like you described so faithfully each month. Our kids here at home talk about her as if they have met her.

All of that alone is wonderful, but recently the most amazing thing happened. My mom has had a hard time all along with why we would want to adopt. She watched from afar. I showed her every monthly update and she would say "that’s nice" or "she’s cute" but nothing beyond that. The whole time, I have prayed that she would break through all of that. This last month, with the pictures of D. holding the doll DID IT! My mom has finally fallen in love with a little girl in Haiti. I knew it would happen, I just wanted it to happen before she came home. So from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

Thank you for lining those kids up, dressing them, tickling them, loving them, writing about them, and emailing them to all of us crazy adoptive families on the other side of the world or just on the other side of the computer screen. I know some days must be hard, but we so appreciate you.

For Dixie

You have been such a motivation with your diet that I have given up diet coke until
D. comes home! I was drinking way too much of it and I felt like it was a little sacrifice on our part. By saving the money we were spending on soda each month we had enough to sign up to sponsor Beatrice at the Toddler House. My kids are watching so I can’t even sneak one! Thanks for sharing the good and bad…22 pounds is something to be proud of! Keep your eyes on Hawaii!

Emails like these make us a little more aware of how our words affect those around us. Thanks for each word of encouragement that is sent our way. Many people write me daily with small words to help make my day just a little bit brighter. They do make a difference!